Last Updated on May 11, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 186

Ginger Pye is a warm and involving story about the Pye family and their beloved Ginger, a brown-and-white fox terrier puppy. In addition to the endearing antics of the dog and the close relationships in the Pye family, the story features a mystery at its core that will keep readers turning the pages. When ten-year-old Jerry Pye and his nine-year-old sister, Rachel, first take their puppy home, mysterious footsteps follow them. Family members catch glimpses of a lurking stranger in a mustard- yellow hat, whom they nickname Unsavory Character. The children take pride in their smart dog, who has earned a certain distinction in the town, and when Ginger disappears on Thanksgiving Day while the family is eating dinner, they believe that Unsavory Character has taken their pet. They launch an unsuccessful search for Ginger, and the suspense builds until, months later, Ginger—now a full-grown dog—is found and reunited with the Pyes. The author has said that Ginger was based on a dog that she and her brothers had as children, a dog that also disappeared on Thanksgiving Day and reappeared the following spring.